M100: Music Appreciation Discussion Group Ben Tibbetts, T.A. Welcome! Please sign the attendance at the front of the room. Thursday April 4, 2013

Today’s Agenda Pass back stuff Collect Ballad Assignment and Concert Report #2 Brahms (pages ) Wagner (pages ) Romantic Test next class (Tues. April 9) remember it’s reading + lecture + discussions

Passing back stuff No Classical tests yet. I’m sorry…

Please pass in Ballad Assignment and Concert Report #2

Before we get into the material today, a quick correction/elaboration on last class: Modified strophic form – “A form in which each strophe is modified musically to fit the text in a particular way.” pg.517

Johannes Brahms German composer/pianist

Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, fourth movement Fun fact: at the larger scale, this movement is an example of ternary form – “a form consisting of three parts, labeled ABA” –pg.518 …but on the smaller scale, it is also a theme and variations on a simple 8-note melody These structures are somewhat well-hidden and unobvious. (Read pg for more information.)

Richard Wagner German composer

Dissonance (adj. dissonant) – “the sound of notes that clash, either harmonically or melodically, and do not seem to belong together. Dissonance is a relative concept: what was dissonant in one era is later perceived as consonant.” pg.516 Consonance (adj. consonant) – “The sound of notes together that our ear finds naturally right. Like dissonance, consonance is a relative concept that can change over long periods of time.” pg.515

The Ring of the Nibelungs a set of operas (or an opera cycle) The libretto of the Ring cycle (written by Wagner himself) draws on northern European mythology—many of the same sources Tolkein drew from in creating The Lord of the Rings. A magic ring has supreme powers of good and evil. “Nibelung” here denotes a dwarf race. It is a dwarf named Alberich who fashions this magic ring from the “Rhine gold” (sacred gold stolen from nymphs living in the Rhine river).

There are four operas in the cycle: 1.The Rhine Gold 2.The Valkyrie 3.Siegfried 4.Twilight of the Gods

Today we’ll listen to an excerpt from The Valkyrie Act III (“Wotan’s Farewell”) But first…

Leitmotif – “a brief musical phrase or idea connected dramatically to some person, event, or idea in the drama.” –pg.517

Not idée fixe remember from Symphonie fantastique? It’s usually used specifically in reference to that piece In psychology “is a preoccupation of mind held so firmly as to resist any attempt to modify it” (Wikipedia)

The Valkyrie is the second opera in Wagner’s cycle The Ring of the Nibelung, often referred to simply as “the Ring cycle” We’ll listen to an excerpt from The Valkyrie Act III (“Wotan’s Farewell”)

Here’s the story behind this excerpt (from page 308): “In The Valkyrie, the principal characters are Wotan, the supreme god of Norse mythology, and his daughter Brünnhilde, a warrior- like Valkyrie. Against Wotan’s explicit command, Brünnhilde has interceded on behalf of a human couple...Enraged, Wotan condemns his daughter to death. But she pleads for a lesser sentence, and because she is his favorite offspring, Wotan relents. He strips Brünnhilde of her godlike powers, encloses her in a deep sleep, and surrounds her with a ring of fire…. In the scene here, a Wotan full of mixed emotions bids farewell to his beloved Brünnhilde, puts her into a deep sleep, and then summons Loge, a shifty, firelike figure, to create the circle of magic fire that will protect her fromm ordinary mortals...”

Some leitmotifs in this excerpt: Wotan’s spear Sleep The Sword Fate The Valkyrie Act III (“Wotan’s Farewell”)

Brahms and Wagner represented different and somewhat oppositional musical trends

Johannes Brahms More conservative, often referring back to older musical traditions Often shorter, more intimate music of deep complexity Absolute music, not explicitly “about” anything Richard Wagner More progressive, innovating and expanding the orchestra Longer, more dramatic music on a grand scale Program music (usually opera), designed to convey a narrative

Romantic Test Preparations FIRST OFF… Read your books. These pages:  (explain) Review slides (on Moodle) Feel free to ask questions

Romantic Test Preparations LISTENING EXCERPTS THAT COULD APPEAR: Beethoven’s Symphonie No. 5 in C Minor, 1 st movement Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, 4 th movement (out of 5 movements) Schubert’s Der Erlkönig Chopin’s Mazurka in Bb major op. 7 no. 1 Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, 4 th movement The excerpt from Wagner’s The Valkyrie Act III (“Wotan’s Farewell”) Remember to study context, composers and other info. as well

If there’s time: “What’s Opera, Doc” JG0

Final Reminders / Homework Study for Romantic Test Questions?